Tag Archive for fracking

No LNG Port and Global Frackdown Rally in Long Beach, NY

Nassau Legislator David Denenberg started things off saying "we don't need Port Ambrose (LNG terminal), fracking, or it's waste near Nassau County."

Nassau Legislator David Denenberg started things off saying “we don’t need Port Ambrose (LNG terminal), fracking, or it’s waste near Nassau County.”

Saturday October 19, 2013 about 150 people in Long Beach, NY joined the worldwide global frackdown movement. In hundreds of cities around the world, citizens gathered to try to help put an end to the dangers and hazards of hydrofracking.

Our local edition met on the newly rebuilt Long Beach Boardwalk to stand against fracking and help send a resounding “no” to the proposed Liquified Natural Gas port off our barrier island.

Nassau Legislator David Denenberg spoke saying » Read more..

Hearing : LNG Port Ambrose in Long Beach, NY

artwork by Surfrider Nick Lynn, he said "All the risks in this (project) make no sense to me"

artwork by Surfrider Nick Lynn, he said “All the risks in this (project) make no sense to me”

Related Posts:
Stop the LNG Port Off Our Shore

I and over 300 people attended the hearing and press conference in the Allegria Hotel Conference center, Too bad, two hours was nowhere near enough to let the 60+ people who signed up to speak get a shot at the microphone.

The Maritime Administration has extended comment » Read more..

Democracy 2013: One Man…No Vote

the message from Sierra Club I received Yesterday and ACTED UPON

the message from Sierra Club I received Yesterday and ACTED UPON. Would you act, too?

So sad to find out from Sierra Club, that our very own NY State Senator, who happens to be the leader of the State Senate, is refusing to hold a vote on NY’s proposed 2 year fracking moratorium, to coincide with the hard-fought for health study.

  • This legislation already passed the NY State Assembly.
  • Governor Cuomo is expected to sign it.
  • One man has decided there won’t be a vote.

That’s just our “democracy” in 2013, people!
Aren’t you used to it yet?

 

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Sierra Club say they have the votes in the Senate to make this LAW.

Over 100,000 NY residents have stood up against the couple dozen parties interested in fracking up our state.

We have fought over and over. Every win has been met with new end-runs-around NY State residents.

Finally going through the legal process one step from law, and one man won’t even let it come to a vote?

I have written to urge Senator Skelos to put this legislation forward and let it live or die by vote. I have asked why he is doing this.

Please take the time to join me, through the Sierra Club, and contact your NY State Senator to push for a vote.

If Senator Skelos is your representative, too, a personalized note will mean alot.
Feel free to share it with us, and anyone else in the media.

Senator Skelos seems to think the fracking industry shouldn't have to deal with pesky "Democracy".  Let's remind him this is America.

Senator Skelos seems to think the fracking industry shouldn’t have to deal with pesky “Democracy”. Let’s remind him this is America.

Will you please reach out by clicking here and using the Sierra Club form.

Feel free to write Senator Skelos directly on your own, if he is not your representative, at
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/dean-g-skelos/contact

Report: LI Clean Energy Forum: Navigating NY’s Energy Crossroads

Deepwater Wind showed the current New York offshore Planning Map

Tim Daniels of Deepwater Wind showed the current New York Offshore Energy Planning Map

On Tuesday Night, community leaders, environmental and Renewable Energy organizations and members of the general public met to discuss Renewable Energy Solutions for Long Island At the LI Clean Energy Forum: Navigating NY’s Energy Crossroads

 

The event was hosted by AnneMarie Ansel, Chair of the Green Sanctuary Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock and moderated by Sierra Club‘s Lisa Dix.

Ms. Dix said “it’s time for the Long Island Power Authority to move away from plans to lock Long Islanders into dirty fossil fuel energy contracts, instead of investing in clean, safe renewable energy from wind and solar. We need both Gov. Cuomo and LIPA to act now to protect our clean energy programs and fast-track our transition to a clean energy future for New York”.

The importance of this meeting was to bring to the public what their role is in helping transition Long Island and the world at large into more renewable energy.

Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment spoke first.

“We are stuck doing the same things because we have a fossil fuel based economy”.  Of LIPA board’s recent decision not (necessarily) to buy into offshore wind she said

“change just got a 15 year jail sentence”.

Explaining our problem, she said “The job of LIPA is to provide affordable, reliable power- not renewable energy… the decision-making structure is wrong.  These institutions are not elected but they’re making our decisions and may not have any energy or utility experience. We don’t have leadership that the people can rely upon.

She went on to add, “we need a new movement to move Long Island energy into the new millennium.     “Silence is not golden – we need everyone’s voices to be heard”

 

Next was Ellen Weininger of Grassroots Environmental Education. 

She spoke of the dangers, destruction and pollution of Fracking and natural gas drilling. She said livestock is ingesting these FrackIng wastes and our food chain is threatened right now.   She explained pipelines are proving difficult to stop because they are not approved on the local level, but on the federal level by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  Thus,  pipelines like the one being completed under the devastated Rockaways are happening against residents wishes, and continuing to be installed PRIOR to court proceedings to stop them.

Fracking Water use statistics

Fracking Water use statistics from Grassroots Environmental Education

She says the best way to keep Fracking out is make sure we have plenty of renewable energy powering our state that we don’t need it.

 

Peter Olmstead of the Vote Solar Initiative spoke.  He explained the US could easily reach 80% renewable energy by the year 2050.

“we need to attract investment and provide access to renewable energy”.

Another major item of interest he spoke of that “if your house isn’t good for solar maybe you could have a few panels on a community system elsewhere”. You know we here at All Our Energy love the Virtual Metering scenario!   Why should you have to own a roof to have solar- 8 million New York City residents (and any other urban dwellers) would at least have access to solar empowerment!

He said getting competition into solar to create lower costs would be a key ingredient to more widespread solar usage, and is already happening.

Tim Daniels from Deepwater Wind, the company proposing the offshore Wind farm LIPA ignored, spoke next. 

He said

“Wind could have been providing Long Island 10% of its energy had LIPA gone with their plan.”

In his view, New York had taken some steps towards renewable energy 10 years ago but since has stagnated and failed to follow through.

He said locally offshore wind could easily support 3000 MW of power for our area.

We met Ed Laborde of Power Up Communities, a new green energy campaign to help owners make their homes energy-efficient and more comfortable while generating good paying jobs and community benefits.

Ed Laborde of Power Up Communities.

Ed Laborde of Power Up Communities.

Definitely check out their website!

 

Gordian Raacke of Renewable Energy Long Island presented about their 100% Long Island Clean Electricity Vision (CEV) study.

Their study shows that by 2020 it is technically feasible to meet 100% of Long Island’s residential electricity needs with Renewable Energy. It further shows by 2030 we could have 100 percent renewable and zero carbon electricity supply for all of Long Island. He said the only thing missing to make the transition is the political will. Read about it here:

http://www.renewableenergylongisland.org/100percent.cfm

 

Mr. Raacke has a great outlook on the situation when he says “it’s an exciting time to be alive when we can make the change to renewable energy”

I understand what he says: We have the power – you, I, we- can do it and we must do it together.  He reminds us that the price of sunshine is still zero…

Gordian Raacke of Renewable Energy LI:"it's an exciting time to be alive when we can make the change to renewable energy"

Gordian Raacke of Renewable Energy LI:”it’s an exciting time to be alive when we can make the change to renewable energy”

A great Q and A session followed questions included

whether Superstorm Sandy would have had any effect on offshore Wind Farm. Tim Daniels’ answer was no – offshore turbines are designed for North Sea storms which are category three winds. The Siemens turbines available to Deepwater wind withstand 120 MPH sustained winds and 150 Mph gusts. 

Another question was about the environmental impacts of an offshore wind Farm. Adrienne Esposito replied “when thinking about environmental impacts you must think not about Wind Farm versus nothing, but Wind Farm versus dirty energy plant. No matter what, there’s going to be impacts. The clean energy impacts are so much less plus they dramatically reduce the pollution and climate change affecting the environment.

Another question was about the impending change in LIPA leadership.  She said we should be poised to demand the right people are put in charge. We should also make sure they know we think they should not cut their renewable energy programs, and that they need to have more renewables in the mix.  We need to let the LIPA Board of Trustees know we need to change.

There was some quiet speculation that LIPA may have left the door barely cracked open to revisit the issue and we should not give up yet.

A European immigrant living here said they’re shocked there is no policy against wasting energy.

Editors Note-

(This is an excellent point, as people in the US are under the assumption that “if they can pay for the electricity, it’s their business and that the ‘free market’ of prices will decide how much they use”.  Unfortunately, they ARE NOT paying the actual costs of their usage when it comes to pollution, land destruction, and climate change- the “hidden costs” of dirty energy, which they are actually passing off to everyone else.)

They explained that in their home country, when you sell a house you must show the energy usage and efficiency that that house has, as just part of the process.  hmmm…

Another attendee named John just made a statement that we must realize we are all addicted to fossil fuels and we need to change our own actions and attitudes.

After the proceedings, I was able to ask the representative from Deepwater Wind: 

 “If LIPA said “go” today, when would we have renewable energy?”

Answer: 2017- the same time as the new gas power plants would be coming online.

Gordian Raacke summed it up best: “if you think investing in renewable energy is important, then let your elected officials and LIPA know. Become involved!  Let’s grab this chance to make it happen!”

 

do you have pictures of this event to share?
did we miss an impoortant point?
please let us know

 

NY State Department of Environmental Fracking Conservation?

 

New York Dept. of Fracking

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officials and Fracking Interests are running hand in hand… so what about the Environmental Conservation interests of New Yorkers?

 

Disturbing news is emerging that despite public outcry, the NY State Dept of Environmental Conservation(DEC) is succumbing to intense lobbying efforts from the fracking industry,
***stop press as we just learned ***
or worse may actually already be in bed with them.

It was recently reported in this Huffington Post article “Fracking Industry Enjoyed Privileged Access to Controversial New York DEC Environmental Review” that while public and environmental groups were getting the runaround and being forced to jump through hoops to be heard (and 70,000 chimed in against!), the fracking lobby has not only had direct access to the DEC, they had:

  • several months’ (reports range from 6-10 weeks) early notification of impending regulations and recommendations so they could strategize, organize and maximize their lobbying efforts properly,
  • they have had input on tailoring upcoming regulations, and
  • may have even steered the environmental review process.
  • at best, the DEC have left all these accusations highly questionable-at worst they’re all true.

Then Came this article from Brendan Demelle at desmogblog.com: Science Trumped by Politics In Cuomo’s NY Fracking Plans?

After Governor Cuomo said the regulations would be based on science conducted (which seemed to support the public outcry) and not politics, it seems state employees and regulators may not necessarily see it that way since they allowed fracking industry:

access to drafts of the state’s permit plans,… used that information to lobby hard against testing for radioactivity in wastewater, for example.

it goes on to say

seventy New York state legislators on both sides of the aisle pointed out six major issues they said were under-addressed …
Instead of focusing on issues like these, DEC staff were busy discussing zoning questions with industry lawyers and providing drillers with a chance to weigh in on the expense of complying with environmental protections.

We love the one where the fracking industry is now talking about getting rid of fracking waste “water”- by legally spraying it on local roadways!
You must read it.

****stop press*****
As if this all wasn’t outlandish enough…
it is now coming to light that the person at the DEC in charge of all this, is being outed as a fracking and drilling proponent who also publicly supports climate change denial.

Is that who we want in charge of our state’s Environmental Conservation!!

Read about it here: Top New York Regulator Promoting Shale Gas Signed A Climate Denial Petition Stating That Increases In CO2 Are ‘Beneficial’

It begs the key question:

So is Bradley Field, the petroleum engineer and drilling proponent who can’t remember if he is a climate change denier; the holder of a singularly influential position to determine the outcome of shale gas development in New York state as the issuer of permits and the overseer of regulations — Is this Bradley Field nonpartisan? It’s a relevant question.

Not only relevant, it begs other questions:

  • should any singular unelected government official wield so much power?
  • Shouldn’t that person in charge of environmental conservation always err in favor of environmental conservation?
  • and who is watching the “watcher”?

Now, Grenpeace’s Executive Director Philip Radford has weighed in, and we need to stand with them:Why Is Governor Cuomo Letting a Climate Science Denier Regulate Fracking?  They are asking Mr Field to step down and asking you to sign the petition telling Governor Cuomo to get rid of him. 

 

We will continue to follow this story…

editors note:
Truth be told, I’ve started and stopped writing this artcle 3 times, the original story here goes back weeks…and I can’t let it go.

To now, All Our Energy has sought to remain pragmatic on political issues and it is overwhelmingly clear, we cannot. Our voice must be heard.

The Greenpeace Billboard They Don’t Want You To See!

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada- A Canadian billboard advertising company has refused an already paid-for ad from Greenpeace.

In an apparent attempt to hush opposition to larger and more powerful clients, who are currently spending millions promoting dirty energy, the advertising company refused this “outrageous” billboard ad.

20120628-072017.jpg

Yes- the Great White North (or is that now oil-spill Brown?) are bought and paid for by oil, too!

Read all about it in this great article
Greenpeace Clean Energy Billboard Rejected By Pattison by Carol Linnitt at desmogblog.com

So much is being spent, even opposition as un-controversial as this is being silenced.

There have been numerous recent spills and millions being spent by the dirty energy industries in pro fracking, pro-drilling, and pro…um “pipeline-ing”- millions being spent promoting the Keystone XL

___________ (you fill in the blank)

All in the name of trying to “clean up” their images and shift grassroots, groundswell public opinion that is already swelling against them.

Feel free to fill in that blank in the comments below….